Lost Valley neighborhoods facing changes

By Kelly Jurewicz Special Writer
   MANVILLE — In the eyes of many, Lost Valley is sectioned off from the rest of Manville.
   And when events — such as the Hurricane Floyd flood in 1999 and the nor’easter in April 2007 —actually do section off the Valley from the rest of Manville, the residents of the Valley rely on each other, making theirs a very close-knit neighborhood.
   But some residents say homeowner turnover there may be ending the neighborhood’s closeness — something even three-year Lincoln Avenue resident Dayna Camacho has noticed.
   Ms. Camacho said she moved to the Valley because of its reputation as a safe and close community, with quiet streets cut off from the hub of town.
   ”There is more to the Valley than just flooding,” Ms. Camacho said.
   Being a fairly new resident, she tried her best to acclimate to the traditions or “unwritten rules” of the neighborhood — like driving safely on the streets, maintaining a clean yard, and respecting her neighbors — and she expects her neighbors to do the same.
   But over the last year or two many new residents have moved in, and the sense of community she used to feel is starting to fade away as more of the “old-timers” leave.
   Ms. Camacho said she knows most of her neighbors, but she said some just don’t care about community and feel that they don’t have to always follow the rules.
   ”Everyone is from somewhere else,” she said, “but, they need follow the rules.”
   Robin Gardner, a friend and neighbor of Ms. Camacho, agrees that the sense of community that was there just six years ago when she moved into her Boesel Avenue home, is slowly slipping away.
   ”We haven’t lived here long, (but) we’ve acclimated,” Ms. Gardner said.
   One of the problems that Ms. Gardner and Ms. Camacho are seeing is increased noise in the once quiet neighborhood. Ms. Gardner said that she’s been woken up at 6 a.m. by kids playing basketball in the street and cars speeding by late at night.
   ”One house is like a frat house,” Ms. Camacho said angrily.
   Loud parties at night, unkempt yards and overflowing trash containers make the neighborhood look like an eyesore, they said.
   But other problems raise eyebrows, too — such as public property being damaged. Ms. Gardner and Ms. Camacho said the Valley used to have nice things, like gazebos and nice picnic tables in the parks, but they were destroyed.
   Misuse of parking at the Cooper Pool lot also drew concerns from the residents.
   Ms. Gardner and Ms. Camacho and other Valley residents say the effect is that the neighborhood seems to becoming less safe, although it’s still a pretty safe area.
   Police have been called a few times to deal with issues in recent weeks, such as a report of two tires slashed on a car parked on South Bank Street on Aug. 21, and an incident of domestic violence.
   ”All my neighbors and I were scared,” said Ms. Gardner.
   But she and Ms. Gardner say it’s the little things that concern them as much — such as cars going too fast down the streets, where the speed limit is 25 mph. They worry about the streets where their kids play and their safety when walking through the neighborhood at night.
   Ms. Camacho calls for more police presence in the Valley to quell the disturbances, but Ms. Gardner isn’t quite sure what could be done to help the neighborhood.
   And both are looking forward to meeting more of their new neighbors, and the day they can enjoy block parties or start other neighborhood traditions.
   They want the neighborhood to be the close-knit neighborhood once more, like they heard it used to be.
   Which may get more elusive: many houses in the valley are for sale — on Huff Avenue, there are nine houses available.